My
visit to CMDR, Dharwad, Karnataka, was very interesting and it started from Delhi itself.
The flights from Delhi Airport were delayed for hours due to the heavy fog
after 7.00am on 29the January 2009. My flight from Delhi to Mumbai by Jet
Airways was delayed for five hours and so, could not pick up the connecting
flight from Mumbai to Hubli the only flight by Kingfisher. So, waiting for hors
from 8’o clock in the morning till 5’o clock in the evening I took a flight to
Bangalore and reached Institute
of Social and Economic Change, Nagarbhavi, at Bangalore at 10.30 in the night.
The taxi took one and a half hour to reach ISEC from Bangalore Airport. It is a
distance about 55 kilometer. I am grateful to the Assistant Registrar , ISEC
Mr. Narayana who arranged accommodation
and dinar in the guest house of the ISEC , Bangalore. I had to reach Dharwad on
30th January by 11’oclock in the morning by any means as I had to be
there in the meeting of the selection of the ICSSR Institutional Doctoral
Fellowship. Early in the morning on 30th I took the flight From
Bangalore to Hubli. The distance from Hubli to Dharwad is about 25 kilometer.
Dharwad
is an hub of intellectual community. It appears the intellectuals have searched
a peaceful area and settled down to pass their retired life. Their contribution
could be more to develop research aptitude of the students of this region.
However the Dharmasthala Society ‘s contribution towards the academic and
professional Education is amazing.
My
flight for Delhi were on 2nd February’09. So I had two days in spare
the 31st January and 1February and I did not want to waste the
opportunity. As per my character I can not sit idle. So, on 30th
itself I discussed with the people about the places of natural and historical
as well as religious importance where I could reach within the available time.
Ultimately, I dropped the idea of visiting Badami where caves of red rocks are
worthwhile to see but due to the scarcity of time, I finalized to visit Hampi
and next day to Gokarna. I am grateful to Prof.Karanth who helped me with the
company of a research scholar of the CMDR and arranged taxi also for me.
So,
on 31st January Dr. Narayana Billawa came to my room 201 at Hotel
Mandar Regency, College Road, (Dharwad) early in the morning but I was not
ready by that time as I could not get up due to my hectic Journey from Delhi to
Dharwad on both the days 29th and 30th January. So, I
could start by 7.30 a.m. by car, only for the journey to Hampi. On the way I
observed that number of Educational institutions like J.S.S.College, S.D.M.
College of Engineering, S.D.M. Medical College, S.D.M. Dental College on Hubli
Dharwad Road. It is a great contribution rather real religious efforts are
being done by Dharmasthala Society. K.L.S. Society has also an Engineering College
on this Highway. Behind the CMDR, Ambedkar Nagar, there is a lovely view of
Navloor Lake. Another big Lake on Hubli Dharwad Road is Humkal Lake . Ministry
of Tourism, Karnataka State may explore and attract tourists by giving a little
bit attention on it.
On reaching Hubli I given Phone call to
Dr.Malvika M.Deshpande, (Principal SJMVS Arts & Commerce Pre-University
College for Women, J.C.Nagar) who visited my office about two years ago and
given her visiting card with an invitation to contact her whenever I get chance
to visit Hubli. I promised her that in the returning from Hampi we would reach
to her place as we were already being delayed for Humpi. Hubli is a lovely
place for marketing, it is a commercial city.
I
was in hurry to see Hampi. From Hubli we took a turn towards Hubli Gadak Road.
Here I saw a huge queue of trucks and come to know that due to the mining of
Iron-Ore these trucks are here for loading the ore. From Gadak to Ballari this
scene is available in continuation. This is a drought prone area and main crops
of this region are Jowar, maize, due to the scarcity of rain. Rice, sugar cane
is not grown here. The rice and sugarcane are grown onward to this area of
Koppal and Hospet due to the mercy of the Holy river Tunga- Bhadra The soil of
this region is red and at certain area the colour of the soil is blackish red
where the cotton is also grown..Hospet is a small town but the market is quite
good. After Hospet we reached Hampi.
{*This was written in the month of
February, 2009. Since then lots of changes have been done by the then visionary
DG of ASI on bringing the situation before him. }
….HAMPI
(Karnataka) is the historical area since Pauranic period (pre-historical
period). This area was the capital of Bali (elder brother of Sugreev) as per
the Chalukya’s inscription of 7th Century AD, of his empire known as Pampa Kshetra
about which mentioned in Ramayna. It is situated on the southern
bank of the river Tungabhadra–{Ganga moola / Tunga moola ( Chikmungalur district, Karnataka):This is also called
as Varaha parvata. This is the birth place of Tunga river, Bhadra river and
Nethravathi river. Nethravathi river goes to west and merges in Arabian sea.
Tunga river and Bhadra river goes in two seperate directions and joins at
Koodli to form Tungabhadra river. Pampa is another name of Tungabhadra . Industrial
pollution has damaged the Tungabhadra river. Industries and mining located on
its banks in the Chikkamagalur, Shimoga, Davangere, Haveri, Bellary, Koppal and
Raichcur Districts of Karnataka and Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar in Andhra Pradesh
Tunga Bhadra River.}. and
is surrounded by rocky mountains and its name in Ramayana is mentioned Kishkindha
Parvat. So, this city is important not only for the historical point of
view that this has been the capital of Vijaynagar Samrajya (1336 –1571) but it
is very much linked with the point of view of Hindu mythology. Anjani Parvat
where lord Hanumana was born is situated on the other side of the
Bank of Tungbhadra River and the Lord Hanumana arranged friendship of Lord Rama
with Sugreev which helped him in rescuing his wife Sita.
The
beauty of the mountain range at Humpi is like that that super power engineers
have put blocks of rocky stones piling on each other and have made a beautiful
scenery, a pictorial view. The beauty of this place starts from the entry point
itself as the two huge stones at a distance of three meter making a gateway to
this heritage.
There are number of temples of beautiful architectures
which have not been the victims of political rivalry of the Hindu and Muslim
rulers of the surrounding area in the past history but these have been the
victims even at present time of political/religious/ regional/ or corruption in
the system. No due care is being given to the historical temples to this
pictorial sight, a different look from other sights. Even at some places the
concept of hygiene has no meaning, the concept of maintenance is far away. The underground temple of Lord
Shiva(PATALESWARA Temple) is a unique piece of architecture in which we have to
walk down under the water to reach the idol of Shivalinga. Another uniqueness of this temple
is that the roof of the temple is below the level of the surface of the ground.
….. However there was no proper maintenance / cleanliness of the temple but the
lawn of the temple are better.
We returned Dharwad from Hampi around 11.30pm and we did
not take diner, as we wanted to reach Dharwad as soon as possible as we took
some more time at Hospet to visit Tunga-Bhadra Dam. Nothing was available in
the Mandhar Hotel. Then the Driver Manjunath who have become friendly by this
time took me on the taxi and roam around the near by market area but there was
no use as all the restaurant were closed. As I returned to Mandhar, the manager
of the Hotel asked me humbly, ‘Sir, would you like to have some rice with curd
that is available only’. I became happy. The manager of the Hotel was so nice
that he asked me “ Sir, you may kindly go to your room, the diner would be
served to you in your room.” It is matter of luck and God is so kind that I get
lovely people whenever I visit any place.
Next day morning schedule was to have trip to Gokarna.
Earlier I had made a plan to visit the caves of Badami but my companion and the
Driver suggested if I visit towards Gokarna would be more worthwhile. So, on 1st
February’2009 early in the morning I got up and became ready by 6’oclock and I
was waiting for my companions in the lobby of the Hotel. We started at 6.30am
for Marikamba Devi Temple. At the Ist instant we have to reach Hubli. On
reaching Hubli we had a Breakfast in a restaurant. Now we took turn from Hubli
to Dharwad Road. This road have two joints one way towards Kallagadki and other
joint goes towards Sirsi touching Ellapur.We moved towards Sirsi .On the way
the important places were Nandahadi, Manchikeri, Umachagi ( this is the
Brahaman dominated area) and then we reached Sirsi the place where the Marikamba
temple is situated. This is very holy place of this region.
We did worship as
per our traditional Hindu culture and proceeded to NawJog Jalpath water fall
which is generally known as Jogpal in short.
This is near Sitapur, it is about
fifty kilometer from Marikamba Temple. Only a learned poet can explain the
beauty of this fall. We were almost at equal height of the four streams of the
water fall on the opposite side and the falls were falling down in a beautiful
narrow but deep pond from a height of one hundred fifty feet. The beauty of
this place is on peak during the rainy season and just after that. I have seen
many waterfalls but it was in a very closer view. The fall is surrounded by the
hard rock Mountains.
From Novjog Jalpath
we have to move around one hundred kilometer to reach Gokarna. Forests, and
orchard of cashew nuts, fields of sugarcane, surround the route. This is very fertile
part of southern Karnataka also known as western Ghat. I have also seen the
plantation of herbal and medicinal plants. In this region people are rich as
well as educated. Near Gokarna people also store salty water from the stream of
the sea to make salt on commercial level.
On reaching Gokarna we reached at the seashore where I
bought a swimming costume, as I could not stop myself without taking bath. I am
very much fond of taking bath in the sea and enjoy the strong ripples of the
sea. After taking bath we reached to the Gokarna temple. In this temple the discipline is very strict ,following the ancient Indian traditions that you
have to inter in the temple without top except trouser/dhoti is permitted.
There is no Sivalinga as usually seen in all temples of lord Shiva. The
worshiper has to put their hand in a hole in main worship place of the temple
to realize by touching the Shivalinga under the water in the hole. It is myth
that this Shivalinga is of the time of Ravana ….. The same story is heard in
North at Gola Gokaran Nath and some place in Bihar also. But, apart from this
controversy the main important thing is belief of the presence of God. The part
of Shivalinga, which was sapareted by Ravana in anguish, was gone to
Mandukeswara near the beach, twenty-kilometers form Gokarna. There is also a beautiful
temple where I could not visit as the sun was setting down and we had to cover
about two hundred kilometers to reach Dharwad. However this time we had to take
the straight route instead of Kumta and Vergi through which route we had
reached Gokarna, we adopted the National High way No.–17 : Gokarna-Magalore
Road. On going about ten kilometers and reached Ankola from where we took a
right turn for Hubli through Ellapur.
It was really a nice journey.
``(V.N.Sondhi)
06.02.2009
Recently (after
march 24,2009, Archeological Survey of India have started taking initiative as a policy matter, to
give the shape of good days of these temples/ruins of Hampi as the some other monuments viz.Lal Qila , Qutub Minar, Tajmahal etc., are being given attention on their
repairing and to maintainance.
V.N.Sondhi
27.03.2009
My 2nd visit to this place was really interesting and worthwhile >
Re:
From:
|
 Director General ASI
(directorgeneralasi@gmail.com)
|
Sent:
|
03 March 2009 15:24PM
|
To:
|
VIJAY NATH SONDHI (manuansondhi@hotmail.com)
|
Cc:
|
brmani@hotmail.com
|
Dear Shri Sondhi,
Many thanks for your
valuable suggestions in connection with the Hampi Heritage Site. I am
directing the concerned officials of my organization to look into this matter
and see that the premises are kept clean. I would also be paying a visit
to Hampi in the middle of the next month to have a comprehensive review of the
ongoing and proposed developmental activities. I would be very much
pleased to meet with you there. I would let you know about my programme
well in advance.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(K.N. Shrivastava)
x x x
Reply
To,
Director
General
ASI
It
is a great honour for me that I would get a chance to have your company. I am
submitting an application to the Member Secretary of my Office to permit me to
avail this rare opportunity and to help with to and fro travel ( in case it is
possible).
You belong to the ambitions of our great
former President of India Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam > “ ..we need leaders of
creative leaders….” He was the speaker in the annual lecture organized by ICSSR on Vikaram
Sarabhai memorial award arranged in 2004.
It
would be a great achievement for me if I become a tool in the exercise of some
development process gets acceleration in the right direction without
disturbing the nature of the Architecture and culture of the heritage.
Another
point I would like to point out that there is sight of market in the ruins and
that could be developed like Mina Bazar in the Lal Qila in Delhi and the
State/Centeral Govt. could earn rent on allotment of the shops viz.on five
years lease and renewable further subject to some conditions. …..to sale
handicraft articles of the region . And in this manner the artisans of that
area would get their market /employment due to the development in this
direction as it will increase Tourism. The ponds should be cleaned and given
its original shape and make it attractive. ……….This will also increase communal
harmony ……..
The
Museum has no proper arrangement of Light to read the details of the antiques.
Qutub
Minar in Delhi is still having attractive view because proper maintenance is
being taken to care it.
As
I get approval from my office I will let you know the details of my arrival.
Thanks
again and with regards,
Yours
faithfully
V.N.Sondhi
On reaching Hubli on 24th
March,09, An Excavation Supervisor, Hospet (Mr. Rajesh) came to pick up me and
took me to Dharward ASI Office where I met with Superintendent Archeologist
Mr.M.Mahadevaiah and oter officers and
discussed with them on the issue on the development of Hampi heritage. From
Dharwad they took me Hospet where DG ASI had called me to meet. I stayed in a 3
star Hotel “Malligi” on 24 th evening to 25 afternoon and left for Hubli at 4’O
Clock in the evening on 25th by train as My flight was in the
morning on 26th March,09 and the distance from Hospet to Hubli is
run of more than four hours and so I did not want to take risk and for this I
had to make payment of my stay at Hubli and taxi charges from Hotel Kamath to
the Airport at Hubli. Other expenses of my stay and taxi etc were the hospitality provided by ASI.
I had a great honour to attend
the meeting with DG,ASI where number of officers of their department and VIP
from the Ministery of state tourism were present in the meeting held on 25th
March 2009 at Office of ASI, Hospet. It was a rare opportunity for me that I
discussed with the DG on the subject, during lunch organized at Hotel Malligi.
DG ASI, Mr.K.N.Srivastava is a
very dynamic person. He has taken number of policy decision on the internal
management as well as taken decision keeping the views of the Department of
tourism and given direction to start the development work within four weeks.
(V.N.Sondhi)
27.03.2009
